1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vending machine for newspapers, and more particularly to a secure vending machine for newspapers such that can limit a buyer to get only one newspaper each time the machine is operated.
2. Description of Related Art
Despite enormous increases in information technology media, newspapers still remain very popular due to their convenience in portability and readability. Many people in built-up areas like to get their newspapers at a mass transit place and so on, but one problem in buying newspapers from a store is that people may not have time to line up for a single purchase. Thus, automatic vending machines are available whereby a purchaser can insert some coins into a machine charged with newspapers, and a flap automatically opens to expose the stored newspapers for access by the purchaser. With reference to FIG. 6, a conventional newspaper selling device (60) in accordance with the prior art comprises a housing (62), a door (64) and a slot device (66). The housing (62) contains newspapers. The door (64) is pivotally attached to the housing (62) to close an opening in the housing (62). The slot device (66) receives coins in payment for newspapers and is mounted on the housing (62) to lock the door (64). When a buyer puts the appropriate amount of money into the slot device (66), the slot device (66) will unlock the door (64). The buyer can open the door (64) to get one of the newspapers in the housing (62), and once the door is released after purchase, it swings back to the locked position.
However, there is not any limiting device in the conventional vending machine (60) to limit the buyer to get just one of the newspapers each time as the door (64) is opened. That is, a dishonest person might take several newspapers despite having only paid for one and even though newspapers are not high value articles, there could be a significant loss to the distributor of the newspapers. To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a secure vending machine for newspapers to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the invention is to provide a secure vending machine for newspapers that can limit the quantity of newspapers obtainable to exactly the appropriate amount of money inserted into the machine. The vending machine has an outer housing, a door, a slot device, an inner housing, a moving plate and a controlling device. The inner housing is secured in the outer housing, and the inner housing is divided into multiple chambers each for receiving one newspaper. The moving plate is moveably attached to the inner housing to close the chamber. The controlling device is attached to the inner housing and controls the moving plate to move relative to the inner housing as the door is opened and then closed. Consequently, the buyer can get just one newspaper from an exposed chamber in the inner housing, whereby abuse of the vending machine is prevented.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.